Star Wars Bookworms Book Club discussion

These are the pages after the foreword but before the story gets started on page 13 with Phase 1.

What did you think of this short intro taking us back to before order 66? What thoughts did you have about the characters? How did you feel about the announcement from Obi wan? Did this illicit the same kind of feelings you had when watching revenge of the sith?

I really enjoyed the prologue. Any time we get to see more of the Jedi teaching the groups of younglings is exciting for me. The warmth you see from the Masters like Kenobi here, and Yoda in the films is great.

It's a little convenient that the kid happened to ask about something that the Order would need to do in the near future, but it still worked for me. Seeing the message written like that at the end was powerful.

I think these pages were great and it really gave some good insight into just how unique and pure the minds of children can be. It is just like the line in Attack of the Clones that Master Yoda says. I think we can see a lot through the non jaded eyes of a child. I did wonder if the young boy was Kanan and I have no read far enough to know if I am right or wrong yet. I did get chills when I read the message from Obi Wan Kenboi right before phase 1 begins. It is chilling and gave me the same feeling of fear and darkness that Revenge of the Sith did. So well done JJM.

I think it's a little odd that Obi-Wan would introduce the concept of the homing beacon, but not give any clear examples as to why it would ever be needed. As a teacher, "Oh, just ask the librarian," is such a lazy answer to Caleb's very justifiable question! Thanks Obi-Wan! More of a doer than a teacher, I guess.

Nevertheless, I loved finding out just how similar the Jedi Academy training/apprentice selection process was to what had been established in the EU. The Jedi Academy stuff, especially around the Episode I era, has always been the most interesting part of the saga to me.

On page 7, Obi-Wan says, "There are truths, and there are legends touched with truth..." The word "legends" jumped out to me since this is the first novel outside of Legends. I like this line because it can apply to Star Wars fiction. Canon is truth, so there is canon and there are "Legends" touched with canon.

I love how the prologue starts within the Clone Wars era and ends with Obi-Wan's warning message all in caps alone on a single page. Powerful prologue ending and a great start to the book.

Bruce wrote: "On page 7, Obi-Wan says, "There are truths, and there are legends touched with truth..." The word "legends" jumped out to me since this is the first novel outside of Legends. I like this line beca..."

The "legends" line caught my attention as well. I definitely agree and feel like that was put in for that reason.

I concur. I also was struck by the use of "legends" in this sentence. I think we know what John is hinting at.

Funny thing is, I can't remember if I knew about the specific "legends" branding yet when I wrote that sequence, or if I added it later. It certainly works both in and out of universe, but it might have started as an accident. Only my daily save files know for sure!

Put another way, it's better to be good than lucky when writing, but lucky sure helps...

The message from Obi-Wan was simple and powerful. A good sign that I have been reading for five minutes and got chills.

So I'm wondering about the use of the name Caleb.

When the pronunciation of the name Kanan was confirmed I immediately though back to my Sunday school days and the Biblical land of Canaan which is pronounced the same way.

Caleb in the Bible was one of the 12 spies sent into the land of Canaan. This is too much of a coincidence to be accidental, right?

Aaron, Drew Karpyshyn has used the name Caleb In the bane books for the healer. He did it on purpose referencing this particular character in the bible. I know he discusses it in the interview we did. It would be interesting to know why the name Caleb was chosen and why we are seeing it so much in Star Wars books today.

"Luke" is probably the biggest religious name that strikes me in Star Wars

The use of the name Kanan is also interesting. According to my little bit of religious knowledge (and Wikipedia) Canaan was cursed by his grandfather Noah for the transgression of his father Ham to be a "servant of servants"/"slave of slaves" to his brothers. I'm only up to chapter 24 at the moment but I'm wondering if there's any significance to the reference, like Caleb (and his generation of Jedi) are punished for the actions of the older Jedi.

The names came from the TV show folks. I didn't know their preferred pronunciation of the Kanan name until I actually talked to them!

As I read I felt a growing sense of foreboding and sadness because of what I knew. Yet what stuck with me the most was the signs of arrogance and casual disregard for Caleb's questions from the others present. It spoke of how assured the Jedi were after the many years they had lasted and how it affected their students both at the present and in the future. It was also a wonderful look into the tiny bubble world that the Jedi temple created. Which made reading the message harder because I knew what had happened to that bubble. As I continue to read through I'm starting to grasp the effect it had on those that survived, who now lacked the guidance and control the Order had offered.

Cris wrote: "As I read I felt a growing sense of foreboding and sadness because of what I knew. Yet what stuck with me the most was the signs of arrogance and casual disregard for Caleb's questions from the oth..."

Well said. As you described, this section offered a great contrast between the state of the Jedi and the galaxy before and after the Empire was born. On the one hand we have a lighthearted naive view from the eyes of children before the Empire, to the darker brooding view from the eyes of adults during its reign. It really helped to establish the major changes the Republic made and the new slogan "Forget the old way." I always like it when authors use juxtaposition in books.

New to the group and a little late starting this one, but I really enjoyed the prologue and am hyped to start this story. I myself am often in awe with the simple logic my kids use with me, and learn a lot from their questions. From the mouths of babes and all.... I found fitting that the young and innocent point out the obvious flaw in the over confident Jedi order.